Del Rey Oaks, a city of 1,650, is located on the border between Monterey and Seaside. The wooded community was incorporated as a city in 1953, and boasts an almost "fog-free" climate. Although it is zoned almost entirely residential, it is in the process of acquiring property from the former Fort Ord on which to build a major economic development that is anticipated to create about 600 new jobs. Del Rey Oaks has a median income that is much higher than that of the state or the nation. It shares zip code 93940 with the City of Monterey.

Seaside

Just north of Monterey is the city of Seaside, a culturally and ethnically diverse city, and the most populous (31,700) of the peninsula cities. Founded in 1887 as "East Monterey," it was renamed Seaside in 1890, and was incorporated in 1954. Seaside has sixteen parks consisting of recreational trails, athletic fields, and wildlife habitat. It also prides itself on being a family town, with many community activities almost every weekend. Seaside is also business-friendly and is actively seeking family-oriented businesses such as movie theaters, supermarkets, and restaurants, to meet the needs of its residents. Seaside's only large employer is California State University Monterey Bay, which was founded during the 1990s on former Fort Ord lands.